This invention relates to welding, and more particularly, to a nozzle for a welding gun.
During arc welding, bits of the surfaces to be welded splatter and become attached to the inside wall of the nozzle. This metal, generally referred to as weld spatter or slag, builds up inside the inner wall of the nozzle and accumulates, thereby reducing the diameter of the opening at the end of the nozzle. As is known, the size of the opening 30 in nozzle 10 must be of a sufficient inner diameter to adequately shield the electrode and maintain the quality of any weld.
To remove the accumulated slag from within the interior of the nozzle, a tool such as a screw driver or the like is used to scrape it out. This is a time consuming operation and one which is difficult to accomplish. The layers of slag along the inside wall of the nozzle may be sufficiently hard and sufficiently bonded to the inside of the nozzle that removal becomes next to impossible.
In the alternative, a reamer may be used to ream out the hole of the nozzle from the outside. While the use of such a reamer is more efficient in its cleaning action than the use of a tool, the time necessary to stop welding and remove the accumulated slag increases the cost of the entire welding operation.
A still further method for using the accumulated slag is to rap the outside of the nozzle against a hard surface in order to dislodge the slag attached to the inside wall of the nozzle. While this has proved somewhat effective, continuous rapping of the nozzle against a hard surface with sufficient force to dislodge the slag may cause damage to the nozzle. Hence, if the damage to the nozzle is too severe, it becomes necessary to stop the welding process and replace the nozzle. As previously described, each stoppage in the welding process increases the cost of the entire welding operation, and repeated replacement of the nozzle may be cost prohibitive.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a nozzle for a welding gun which facilitates the removal of accumulated slag which becomes attached to the inside wall of the nozzle during a welding operation.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a nozzle for a welding gun which is simple to utilize and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a device for manufacturing a nozzle which facilitates the removal of accumulated slag which attaches to the inside wall of the nozzle during a welding operation.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a method of creating a nozzle which facilitates the removal of accumulated slag which attaches to the inside wall of the nozzle during a welding operation.
In accordance with the present invention, a nozzle is provided for a welding gun having a torch body. The nozzle includes a generally cylindrical tube defining a passageway adapted for receiving a welding wire therethrough. The generally cylindrical tube has a first end for receipt within the torch body of the welding gun, and a second, opposite flared end. A body portion of the generally cylindrical tube interconnects the first and second ends.
In further accordance with the present invention, a device is provided for flaring the end of the generally cylindrical tube which has a predetermined diameter. An arbor is provided which has a support surface therein for supporting a first end of the generally cylindrical tube. The first end of a tapered portion of a tool is received within the second end of the generally cylindrical tube. The first end of the tapered portion has a diameter less than the diameter of the generally cylindrical tube. The second end of the tapered portion of the tool has a diameter greater than the diameter of the generally cylindrical tube. The tapered portion of the tool tapers from its second end to its first end at a predetermined angle.
Means are provided for urging the tapered portion of the tool toward the arbor such that the tapered portion of the tool is urged into the second end of the generally cylindrical tube. By urging the tapered portion of the tool into the generally cylindrical tube, the tapered portion flares the second end of the generally cylindrical tube to an angle generally equal to the predetermined angle of the taper.
In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for flaring the second end of the generally cylindrical tube. The method includes supporting a first end of the generally cylindrical tube so as to prevent a lateral movement thereof, and providing a tool which includes a tapered portion having a first end of a diameter greater than the inner diameter of the generally cylindrical tube, and a second end of a diameter less than the inner diameter of a generally cylindrical tube.
The method further includes inserting the second end of the tapered portion of the tool into the second end of the generally cylindrical tube, and urging the tapered portion of the tool further into the second end of the generally cylindrical tube so as to flare the second end of the generally cylindrical tube.